Actions and Responses
Aboriginal residential schools were undoubtedly a large social problem that affected hundreds of thousands of Natives throughout Canada's history. However, this issue has not involved the general public, and has not been taught or shared with us until very recently, when survivors have started to come out about their past stories of abuse.
One form of discipline at residential schools was suppression of native cultures, language, and in many cases, one's own thoughts, feelings and ideas. It is for this reason that nothing could be done by children or their parents, who completely lost communication with their child, against the implementation and methods of residential schools.
However, when conditions at the schools became unbearable, many children tried to escape and run away from their schools. Often, they were found in only underwear, huddled on the ground and frozen to death. On the rare occasion that a child was caught alive, they were brutally whipped and hit until unconsciousness. These actions were not a part of a protest against the cruelty of the schools, but rather an effort to escape the abuse suffered there, sometimes sacrificing their life for it. (18.)
The story of Charlie Wenjack received national attention when, as a 12 year old, ran away from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School and was discovered dead a week later, frozen near train tracks in the town of Redditt. In 1965, a Maclean's article was published named 'The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack' recounting his quest to return home and describing vividly the state and manner in which he was found; huddled on the ground in thin cotton clothes, a bottle of matches in his pocket. An edited version of this report was published as chapter two of A Poverty Wall by Ian Adams in 1970. (19.)
One form of discipline at residential schools was suppression of native cultures, language, and in many cases, one's own thoughts, feelings and ideas. It is for this reason that nothing could be done by children or their parents, who completely lost communication with their child, against the implementation and methods of residential schools.
However, when conditions at the schools became unbearable, many children tried to escape and run away from their schools. Often, they were found in only underwear, huddled on the ground and frozen to death. On the rare occasion that a child was caught alive, they were brutally whipped and hit until unconsciousness. These actions were not a part of a protest against the cruelty of the schools, but rather an effort to escape the abuse suffered there, sometimes sacrificing their life for it. (18.)
The story of Charlie Wenjack received national attention when, as a 12 year old, ran away from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School and was discovered dead a week later, frozen near train tracks in the town of Redditt. In 1965, a Maclean's article was published named 'The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack' recounting his quest to return home and describing vividly the state and manner in which he was found; huddled on the ground in thin cotton clothes, a bottle of matches in his pocket. An edited version of this report was published as chapter two of A Poverty Wall by Ian Adams in 1970. (19.)
This chapter -Why did Charlie Wenjack die?- also highlights his father's response, as well as the government's response to the death of an innocent 12-year old boy trying to escape the torture of his residential school.
More recently, CBC did a short documentary named Little Charlie about the plight of Charlie Wenjack featuring Ian Adam's chapter.
The documentary can be found here. (please note this documentary can only be viewed from inside Canada.)
More recently, CBC did a short documentary named Little Charlie about the plight of Charlie Wenjack featuring Ian Adam's chapter.
The documentary can be found here. (please note this documentary can only be viewed from inside Canada.)
This is a painting by a 12 year old named Geary, who was attending port Alberni Residential School. This school in particular is recognized as having a very high count of deaths from sexual assaults, physical abuse, and treatable medical conditions. It shows the desperation and violence children experienced at the school, displayed by a startling red colour, mixed with grey, the colour of dust, soot and shadows.
The slide show above displays a four page letter written by a representative of Indian Affairs to a medical inspector in 1914. After death tolls among children attending residential schools began to rise significantly, the government agreed to carry out investigations on the cleanliness of the buildings, the purity of the drinking water and the condition of the medical wing. These inspections were supposedly carried out frequently, but ultimately did not stop thousands of children from dying in residential schools. (20.)